Join Them, If You Cannot Beat Them – Social Media in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study on the Benefits of Using Social Media in Higher Education

The purpose of this qualitative research is evaluate the benefits of using social media in higher education. The research study focuses on the problem of millennial and generation Z students being extremely dependent on social media, taking time away from their holistic development. Social media, being a popular platform can be use in two-fold in higher education; (1) by faculty to increase the classroom engagement and interaction and (2) by administration and faculty collaboration to create a strong social impact.

Social media is very loosely defined; however, it will yield positive results if it is used in the right way to interest students. With the help of social media, educator can: (1) convert the eyeballs into academic discussions and (2) drive more traffic or engagement to the content of the class. The study will be based on the FFF consumer model to understand the perceptions of students and faculty with the use of social media.